


Arrow

by humanveil



Series: A Wonderfully Ruined Life [2]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: M/M, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-09
Updated: 2014-11-09
Packaged: 2018-02-24 16:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2587829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humanveil/pseuds/humanveil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“Did you know that our apartment building allows animals?”</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arrow

“Did you know that our apartment building allows animals?”

“No, Charles, I didn't.”

“Well, it does.”

Erik sighed and put down the knife he was using to cut up carrots, “We're not getting a pet.”

Charles pouted, “Why not?”

“Because you're usually too busy with school and friends and whatnot to take care of a pet.”

“Perhaps, but you spend a lot of time here, the both of us could manage a dog just fine.”

They'd been living in England just over ten months now, and things were going good. Charles had, unsurprisingly to Erik, adjusted perfectly, and had made a rather large amount of friend from his classes at Oxford. Erik had got a part-time job at a café out of pure boredom, and Charles teased him endlessly for it, but he had made some friends of his own. Some people had given Charles shit for being with Erik, with more than a few rude comments being said about the age difference, but everyone had shut up when they actually _saw_ Erik, and realised the guy wasn’t above putting their head through a wall if need be. Their relationship was still going strong, too, with only a few small bumps along the way. Erik didn't want to disturb that with an animal.

“You want a dog?”

His boy nodded, “Mmhm.”

“I get the feeling you've researched this.”

Charles smirked and reached into the bag resting on the kitchen counter. Rummaging for a few seconds, he pulled out brochures advertising animal shelters and slid them across the counter towards Erik. “Only a little,” he said.

Erik glared, “We're not getting an animal.”

\---

“Look at this one, Erik! Her name is Sophie, and she's two years old and _look at that fur_.”

“Liebling, please, it's _seven in the morning_.”

\---

“How was class?”

“Good, wonderful, I really love science. Did you know Hank has two cats and a puppy? They're _really_ cute, you should see, look--”

Erik had a phone shoved towards his face, the message thread between Charles and Hank open to reveal a list of photos consisting of cats and dogs.

“We're not getting a dog.”

“I can settle for a cat.”

“ _No.”_

\---

“Darwin has an American Bulldog.”

“Since when did you talk to Darwin without me?”

“We're a couple, Erik. The whole 'your friends are my friends now' thing, remember?”

“Your friends are scared of me.”

“No they're not.”

“Hank looks as if he's going to piss his pants every time I smile.”

Charles couldn't help the laugh, “Well, _maybe_ if you didn't give the impression that you'd kill him in a heartbeat, he wouldn't be so scared.”

“It's not just an impression, darling. If he blows something up in that lab with you in it, I _will_ kill him.”

Charles rolled his eyes, body moving so his head was resting in Erik's lap. “Darwin's named his dog Bully.”

“Good for him.”

The boy pouted up at him, but Erik just ran his fingers through his soft hair. “Hate you.”

“Love you.”

\---

“This one is called Smooch, Erik.”

“Even if we were getting a dog, it definitely wouldn't be called _Smooch_.”

\---

“Did you know Moira has a poodle?”

“No.”

“Her name is Princess, and she's the cutest thing. See?”

Charles threw his phone at Erik, a photo of him when they were still in America holding a small poodle on the screen. Erik thought the dog got in the way of Charles' cuteness.

“You're cuter.”

Charles plonked himself on Erik's lap and kissed the man's cheek softly, “I love when you use words like 'cuter'.”

Erik scowled.

Charles giggled.

\---

“We've been living in England for almost a year now.”

“Mmhm.”

“We should get each other gifts.”

“Charles, if this is you hinting at me getting you a dog as an anniversary gift of some sort, stop now.”

“You're no fun.”

\---

“Honey, I'm home!” Erik called, chucking the apartment keys into the bowl Charles had placed near the door.

“Lounge room,” was Charles' shouted reply.

Erik obediently made his way down the narrow hall and into the lounge room, spotting Charles sitting crossed-legged on one of their couches, laptop placed in his lap and his eyes glued to the screen.

“Nearly a year, and you still say all the cliché phrases.”

“Maybe I like the cliché phrases,” Erik said, bending to place a kiss to Charles' forehead. “What are you looking at?”

“Shelter pages,” Charles smiled sheepishly at him. “I think I did something I shouldn't have.”

Erik gave him a quizzical look and sat down next to him, one arm wrapping around his shoulders. “What'd you do?”

Charles closed the laptop and set it aside, snuggling into Erik's side, “I may have gone to the animal shelter in London.”

“You fell in love with one of them, didn't you?” Charles nodded against Erik's chest. Erik sighed, “Let's see it, then.”

The dog, Erik had to admit, was rather beautiful. She was a little French bulldog, with white fur and black patches around her eyes and one on her back in the shape of a wonky arrow.

“Her name's Arrow, because of the spot, I think, and she's only one year old. They said she came from an abusive family, or something. She’s lovely, Erik. They let me play with her for a bit, and she was just _lovely_ and, I just—I want her, Erik, I know you don’t want a dog, but she’s beautiful.”

Erik sighed again, his lips pressed to the top of Charles head as he stared at the photo of Charles holding crouching down and petting the dog.

\---

“Can I help you, sir?”

Erik smiled tightly, “I'm looking for a dog named Arrow.”

\---

Reflecting on the past year and a bit of his life, Erik came to the conclusion that he _really_ ought to not fall for Charles' puppy eyes anymore. It was uncanny what the boy could make him do.

Arrow sat curled up next to him on the floor, her tiny head placed against his leg as she rested with her eye shut. Erik was running a hand over her soft fur gently, not really paying attention to what he was doing; too busy focusing on the clock as he waited for Charles to come home from wherever it was he’d gone with his friends.

Erik felt a bit bad for not knowing where Charles was, but he’d been so distracted in the morning, worrying about _how the hell_ he was going to get all the thing the apartment would need for a dog _and_ how he was going to actually get the dog without Charles noticing. He’d ran across London, quite literally at one point, stopping at every pet store he saw and buying _every-bloody-thing_ he even _thought_ they would need.

It would be worth it, Erik thought to himself, if it made Charles happy.

\---

Erik heard the door bang shut, and then heard the soft patter of Charles’ footsteps. Arrow twitched against his leg, her head turning quickly to look in the direction of the sound. Erik grabbed her and pulled her to his chest, standing up to go and stand in the doorway.

“Guess who I saw—” Charles stopped short, his eyes focusing on the little dog in his arm as a smile lit up his face. “Oh, my God!”

“Hello, darling.”

“ _Erik!”_

Erik smiled, and Charles dropped the bag he was holding on the floor and came to stand next to him, hand reaching out and patting Arrow softly. He looked like he wanted to jump up and down from excitement.

“You—”

“Yes.”

“ _Erik!”_

“Happy one year in England?”

Charles giggled, leaning up and over Arrow, who was squirming in Erik’s arms, to kiss the older man quickly. “I love you so much.”

“You better, I ran through London carrying a ridiculous amount of bags, with a jingling, bright pink collar in-between my teeth for you.”

He put the dog back on the floor, and she immediately jumped up on Charles. It was obvious that both Charles and the dog were ecstatic.

Definitely worth it, Erik thought.

\---

“I’ve been thinking,” Charles said from his spot on the floor, Arrow curled up near his arm.

“That’s never good.”

Charles rolled his eyes, “We’ve had Arrow for six months now.”

“Yes?” Erik drawled, not liking where the topic was likely to go.

“I was thinking we should get a cat.”

“ _No.”_


End file.
